To investigate the possibility of reporting biases,
including publication bias, we will draw funnel plots (Egger 1997; Sterne 2011).
Not exact matches
Additional limitations
include significant between - study heterogeneity and
publication bias.
There was little evidence for either significant heterogeneity across
included studies (P =.31) or
publication bias (P =.57 for Egger test).
Begg's funnel plot indicating no
publication bias in the studies
included in this meta - analysis.
Although the dataset
included 24 unpublished studies, 44 treatment effects might still be inflated because several methods studies indicate that
publication bias is a serious problem in this drug class.51 52
Methodological rigour,
including concealment of random allocation, blinded outcome assessors, regular monitoring and prospective trial registration and
publication, should limit risk of
bias.